1. Field
The present application relates to an antenna unit and an electronic apparatus including the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, GPS (Global Positioning System) antennas capable of receiving electromagnetic waves radiated from GPS satellites are packaged in car navigation systems, notebook PCs (personal computers), mobile phone terminals and the like. Ideally, an antenna to be packaged in such equipment is a surface-mounting type antenna with a sensitive radiation directivity, which easily forms a circular polarization, and the examples include a patch antenna and a planar inverted-F antenna. Actually however, due to some restrictions in packaging, for example an inverted-F antenna that can be formed in s simple manner also has been used. JP 2005-110110 A, JP 2004-343285 A, and JP 2003-283232 A disclose such inverted-F pattern antennas.
In a case of integrating the inverted-F GPS antenna in an electronic apparatus, preferably the GPS antenna is arranged so that the main face of its antenna conductor portion faces the zenith, since the reception sensitivity can be improved. The following description refers to an example where the GPS antenna is integrated in a second housing (a housing to which a liquid crystal display is provided) of a notebook PC. In this case, the main face of the antenna conductor portion is required to face the zenith in a normal use state of the notebook PC (i.e., a state where the second housing is opened to have an angle of about 90 to 110° with respect to the first housing). For satisfying this condition, the GPS antenna should be arranged in the second housing in a posture such that the direction of the main face of the antenna conductor portion and the thickness direction of the second housing correspond to each other. As a result, the thickness of the second housing will be increased.